With the advancement of electronic devices, various methods have been developed for transmitting digital data provided to an electronic device to another electronic device, or to the internet, rather than only storing the digital data in an individual device.
For example, an electronic device, such as a smart phone, is provided with wired and wireless communication functions with a high grade user interface, a peripheral, or an external device, and includes, as a representative communication means, a USB for wired communication, and a wireless modem, WiFi, BLUETOOTH, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), NFC (Near Field Communication), or the like, for wireless communication.
Such a smart device refers to a portable terminal whose functions may be considerably changed or expanded through an application program (typically, referred to as an “application” or an “app” for short) rather than being limited. For example, a smart phone, a smart TV, a smart key, a smart card, a tablet computer, or a smart pad may be exemplified as the smart device.
As described above, the smart device is configured such that various functions may be changed or expanded through the installation and execution of various applications. Further, by performing data transmission/reception with various peripherals or external devices and processing received data, the functions of the smart device may be more variously and conveniently expanded.
As the peripherals or external devices, the smart device includes not only sound devices, such as a speaker, an earphone, a headphone for enjoying music or movie, a mic for recording sounds, and an ear set for hands-free calling, but also input devices for user input interfaces, such as a joystick, a mouse, and a keyboard, an imaging device for photographing, such as a camera, and a display device for reproducing images. Without being limited thereto, any devices are applicable to the smart device as long as they are connected to the smart phone to be capable of variously expanding the functions of the smart device. For example, the smart device further includes sensor devices that are capable of transmitting measurement information for an external environment or measurement information for a subject to be examined, such as a blood glucose meter and a blood pressure meter.
The peripherals or external devices are provided with basic means (e.g., a USB port) that enable data communication with a typical electronic device, such as a computer. However, it is not practical for the peripherals or external devices to include all the means that enable data communication with any other electronic device, including a smart device, without restriction. That is, the external devices should be manufactured in a small portable size due to the characteristics thereof. Further, there are various other restrictions. For example, in order to reduce the user's burden of expense, it is necessary to lower the manufacturing costs of the external devices. Therefore, it is not practical for the external devices to include all the various wired/wireless interfaces in order to enable data communication with any other electronic devices.
Accordingly, manufactures have no choice but to select and employ any one of the most typical communication means, such as a USB port, and users will have to deal with an inconvenience in that they should transmit/receive data depending on the employed data communication means.
Thus, the smart device, such as a smart phone, is provided with a standardized ear mic port for normally inputting/outputting audio signals, such as music or sounds. Accordingly, the smart phone may conduct a function of outputting or inputting sounds when an earphone or a mic is connected to the ear mic port. The smart device, which includes the ear mic port, is provided with a separate Codec. When there is provided a means that is capable of using the ear mic port for data communication between the smart device and an external device by performing a function of converting the digital data stored in the smart device into analog signals in order to output the digital data as the sounds or, on the contrary, performing a function of converting analog sounds input from the outside into digital signals for data storage, the external devices may easily perform data communication with smart devices even if the external devices are not provided with various kinds of data communication interfaces.
Hitherto, however, when an external accessary device (hereinafter, referred to as an “appcessory”) is connected to a smart phone through the ear jack, it is recognized as if an earphone is inserted so that the audio path is changed to the earphone. In this state, there are no great problems in using the smart phone. However, when a phone call is received, an audio path of the receiver (RCV) is changed to an ear audio path so that sounds are not output from the receiver (RCV) and thus the user cannot hear received sounds.
In addition, in the case where the corresponding appcessory is, for example, an appcessory named “Cocoberry CAT” or an appcessory named “iLucir Body Fat Analyzer,” when an external device having such an appcessory is inserted into the ear jack of the smart device, it is recognized on the application in a software manner. Thus, it is necessary to forcibly turn the audio path to the receiver (RCV) after separately receiving the user's confirmation for matters the corresponding appcessory. Further, the concept of the corresponding appcessory is that when the external device of the corresponding appcessory is removed, the appcessory returns again to its original state. Therefore, there is an inconvenience in that the user should manually operate the corresponding application.